1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input device for a game machine using a computer which allows a game player to enjoy a fully realistic game in real time on a screen of the game machine by operating a control member, such as a control key, a control button, and a control lever.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, game machines using computers (hereinafter, referred to simply as a xe2x80x9cgame machinexe2x80x9d) have rapidly become widespread in which it is possible for a game player to enjoy a game on a display screen by operating various control members, such as control keys, control buttons, and control levers according to a game software previously stored in a computer device or input at the time of game play. As the software used in such game machine, various types of software, such as a role-playing type, speed competition type, fight/dialogue type, and creating/rearing type software have been conceived.
For example, when a general-purpose computer is used as a game machine using game software previously stored or input at the time of game play, a key board, a mouse, and the like, are used as input devices. In most cases, however, a game machine exclusively for games is used and therefore, an input device called a xe2x80x9ccontrollerxe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9cjoy stickxe2x80x9d, provided separately from the game machine, is generally used as the input device to be operated by a game player.
This input device is called a controller having a so-called multi-face switch, and has a cross key, a key top, a selection key, and a control lever provided on the upper surface of a casing substantially shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped (or a modification thereof), and one or more button keys are provided on the right-hand and left-hand sides of the front face. Furthermore, on the inner surface of the upper part of the casing, there is provided a first board, such as a flexible board, provided with a contact portion connected to digital control members, such as the cross key, the key top, the selection key, and the like. On the inner surface of the lower part of the casing, that is, below the first board, there is provided a second board, such as a printed board, provided with a contact portion connected to an analog control member, such as the control lever. Furthermore, on the inner surface of the front face, there is provided a printed board provided with a contact portion connected to each button key. These flexible and printed boards are electrically connected to each other, and furthermore, are connected to the game machine by a cable via a connector. In some cases, no cable is used, and connection to the game machine is effected wirelessly.
In the input device as described above, by being continuously turned around the turning fulcrum, the control lever is continuously moved in an arbitrary direction, forward, backward, rightward, and leftward, so as to continuously change the actions of persons, operating states of vehicles, and the like according to the game on the screen.
The game player can enjoy a game projected onto the display screen by appropriately operating various keys or the control lever with fingers in accordance with the progress of the game.
An analog input section of the above input device comprises several control levers capable of turning about fulcrums, and two sets of rotary potentiometers having rotation axes in two perpendicular directions for detecting the turning directions and angles of the control levers. The motion of each of the control levers is detected by an output signal from the corresponding rotary potentiometer, and the detected value is input to the game machine.
However, in the input device of a type in which rotary potentiometers for detecting the turning directions and the like of the control levers of the analog input section are provided between the control levers and printed boards connected to the control levers, the structure is complicated. In addition, since expensive rotary potentiometers are used, the cost of the input device increases.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the foregoing problems, and an object thereof is to provide an input device for a game machine which allows simplification of the structure of an analog input section having control members, such as a control lever, and to reduce the cost thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an input device for a game machine which is able to reduce the size, thickness, and weight of the device by reducing the number of boards used therein.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an input switch which makes it possible to obtain analog variable output in accordance with an operating force.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input device for a game machine for inputting signals to a game machine using a computer, including: at least one control member projecting to the outside of a casing; a movement-transmitting member formed around the control member and operatively associated with the movement of an operating point of the control member, the movement-transmitting member being provided with a plurality of conductive elastic members; and a board provided in the casing and having formed thereon resistors corresponding to the conductive elastic members, the conductive elastic members changing the area of contact between the conductive elastic members and the resistors according to a direction of movement and a tilt angle of the operating point of the control member so as to vary the amount of resistance; wherein, by moving the operating point of the control member, analog signals corresponding to the movement are input to the game machine.
With this configuration, unlike a conventional input device for a game machine in which rotary potentiometers are provided between a control member and a board connected to the control member, an analog input section has a simple structure, and signals corresponding to the movement of the operating point of the control member can be input to the game machine without using the expensive rotary potentiometers. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the cost of the input device.
The analog input section of the input device for a game machine according to the present invention operates in association with the movements of the control member and the operating point of the control member, and includes the control member, the movement-transmitting member, the conductive elastic members, and the resistors.
Since the analog input section of the input device for a game machine of the present invention has no need of including the rotary potentiometers included in the analog input section of the conventional input device for a game machine, the thickness of the analog input section is reduced, whereby it is possible to reduce the size and thickness of the overall device.
In addition, the thickness of the analog input section of the input device for a game machine of the present invention can be very reduced as compared to the analog input section having the rotary potentiometers included in the conventional input device for a game machine. Therefore, unlike the conventional input device for a game machine in which an analog input section is provided on a second board that is separately provided from a first board having provided thereon contact portions connected to digital control members, such as a cross key, a key top, selection keys and the like, the analog input section of the input device for a game machine of the present invention can be provided on the board having provided thereon the contact portions connected to the digital control members, such as the cross key, the key top, and the selection keys, and the resistors can be provided on the board. Therefore, the number of boards used in the device can be reduced, and the thickness and weight of the analog input section are reduced, whereby it is possible to reduce the size, thickness, and weight of the overall device.
In the input device for a game machine of the present invention, the movement-transmitting member may preferably be skirt-shaped, and a peripheral section of the skirt abuts against the bottom of the casing to serve as a tilt fulcrum when the control member is tilted. With this configuration, the rotation length between the fulcrum and the conductive elastic members is elongated, whereby the force of contact between the conductive elastic members and the resistors according to the tilting operation of the control member can be stabilized.
In addition, in the input device for a game machine of the present invention, each of the conductive elastic members may preferably be shaped like one of a frustum of a pyramid and a truncated cone, and may be gradually deformed from an end thereof according to an operating force exerted on the control member. With this configuration, the areas of deformation of the conductive elastic members are correctly changed according to the operating force, whereby the areas of contact between the conductive elastic members and the resistors can be precisely changed.
Furthermore, in the input device for a game machine of the present invention, elastically deformable support members may preferably be attached to the movement-transmitting member, and the conductive elastic members may preferably be provided on the bottoms of the support members. With this configuration, the thickness of the input device can be reduced. In addition, the support members are deformed by the tilting operation of the control member, whereby the conductive elastic members and the resistor smoothly contact each other.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input device for a game machine for inputting signals to a game machine using a computer, including: at least one control member projecting to the outside of a casing; a movement-transmitting member provided around and separately from the control member and operatively associated with the movement of an operating point of the control member from a neutral axis, the movement-transmitting members being provided with a plurality of first contacts; a board provided in the casing and having formed thereon a plurality of second contacts constituting planar analog switches with the first contacts; and a push switch provided in the casing at a position corresponding to the control member for effecting ON/OFF operation in response to upward and downward movements of the operating point of the control member.
With this configuration, unlike a conventional input device for a game machine in which rotary potentiometers are provided between a control member and a board connected to the control member, an analog input section has a simple structure, and signals corresponding to the movement of the operating point of the control member can be input to the game machine without using the expensive rotary potentiometers. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the cost of the input device.
In addition, with the above configuration, one control member can serve as both of an analog control member and a digital control member. That is, when the control member is moved downward so that the operating point thereof does not offset from the neutral axis, the control member pushes the push switch in the ON state. Since, however, the movement-transmitting member does not move and the first contacts do not come into contact with the second contacts, digital signals are input to the game machine. When the control member is depressed so that the operating point thereof moves from the neutral axis, the movement-transmitting member moves to bring the first contacts into contact with the second contacts, and moreover, the areas of contact between the first and second contacts correspond to the amount of movement of the operating point, but the control member does not come into contact with the push switch. Therefore, analog signals are input to the game machine. When the control member is axially pushed and depressed so that the operating point thereof moves from the neutral axis, both of the digital signals and analog signals are input to the game machine.
An analog input section of the input device for a game machine according to the present invention operates in association with the movements of the control member and the operating point of the control member, and includes the control member and planar analog switches consisting of the first contacts and the second contacts.
In the input device for a game machine of the present invention, each of the first contacts may preferably be composed of a conductive elastic member shaped like one of a frustum of a pyramid and a truncated cone, and ends of the conductive elastic members may gradually come into contact with the second contacts, whereby the area of contact is changed. With this configuration, the areas of deformation of the conductive elastic members are correctly changed according to the operating force, whereby the areas of contact between the conductive elastic members and the resistors can be precisely changed.
In addition, in the input device for a game machine of the present invention, the movement-transmitting member may have a through hole in the center thereof, and the control member may be inserted into the through hole to be supported so as to move up and down. With this configuration, it is possible to simplify the operational structure of the push switch.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input device for a game machine for inputting signals to a game machine using a computer, comprising: at least one analog control member and at least one digital control member projecting to the outside of a casing; an analog input section operating in association with the movement of an operating point of the analog control member; a digital input section for effecting ON/OFF operation in response to the operation of the digital control member; and a board having formed thereon one of contacts constituting the analog input section and one of contacts constituting the digital input section.
With this configuration, unlike the conventional input device for a game machine in which the analog input section is provided on a second board that is separately provided from a first board having provided thereon contact portions connected to digital control members, such as a cross key, a key top, selection keys and the like, one of the contacts constituting the contact portion of the analog input section can be provided on the board having provided thereon one of the contacts constituting contact portions connected to the digital control members, such as the cross key, the key top, and the selection keys, and the like. Therefore, the number of boards used in the device can be reduced, and the thickness and weight of the analog input section are reduced, whereby it is possible to reduce the size, thickness, and weight of the overall device.
In the input device for a game machine of the present invention, the analog input section may preferably be composed of a conductive elastic member provided on the analog control member and a resistor opposing the conductive elastic member, the digital input section may preferably be composed of a first contact provided on the digital control member and a second contact opposing the first contact, and a resistor and the second contact may be formed on one board. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the size, thickness, and weight of overall device.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input switch comprising a switch section having a movable contact and moved up and down by an operating force; and a board having a fixed contact disposed to oppose the movable contact, and the movable contact being brought into contact with the fixed contact by the downward movement of the switch section to thereby output signals; wherein the movable contact is composed of a conductive elastic member shaped like one of a frustum of a pyramid and a truncated cone and the fixed contact is composed of a resistor formed on the board, and the amount of resistance of the resistor is variable and variable output values are obtained by changing the area of contact between the conductive elastic member and the resistor. With this configuration, the area of deformation of the conductive elastic member is correctly changed according to the operating force, and the areas of contact between the conductive elastic member and the resistor can be precisely changed, whereby precise output values can be obtained.
In the input switch of the present invention, the board may be a flexible board, and the switch section may be supported on the surface of the flexible board and have elastically deformable legs. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a thin input switch.